Surat

Surat, located in Gujarat, has been an important trading center since ancient times. The existence of this city can be traced back to the Vedic age. Its medieval name was Suryapur. The name, Surat, was used by the Muslim rulers or it may be derived from Persian 'Bunder-e Khoobsurat' (beautiful port).

Surat had a population of 2,433,787(2001). There many primary schools which are both government affiliated and private institutions. Surat is famous for diamond polishing, silk, textiles, spices, ivory handicrafts, embroidery works such as zari and zardosi and jewelry which are a rage in the international markets. Surat is connected to Mumbai by airway and is well connected by road and rail to the rest of the country.

Places of tourist interest in Surat are the old fort build by Muhammad- Bin- Tughlaq, the Unai hot spring, the beautiful beaches of Ubharat and Tilhat, the villages of Bardoli and Dandi where Gandhiji started Satyagraha movement and Dandi march respectively. The Vansada National Park in Surat is famous for the wild boars, leopards, tigers, panther it houses. The hill resorts of Saputara is also well known among tourists

-----------------
Gujarat-districts


ahmedabad          amreli             anand

banaskanta          bharuch           bhavnagar 

dahod               gandhinagar        jamnagar

junagadh          kachchh             kheda

mahesana          narmada           navsari

palanpur           panchmahal      patan

porbandar         rajkot           sabarkantha

surat        surendranagar        thedang

vadodara       valsad



--------------------------